Stockton's own ready to take flight

Jose Hernandez, the first astronaut from Stockton to embark on a space mission, is ready to discharge months of rigorous and uncomfortable practice - and years of longing - to travel in space.

Jennie Rodriguez

Jose Hernandez, the first astronaut from Stockton to embark on a space mission, is ready to discharge months of rigorous and uncomfortable practice - and years of longing - to travel in space.

Discovery is scheduled to fire away in the Florida night skies from Kennedy Space Center at 10:36 p.m. today if weather permits.

The thunderous roar of the rocketing shuttle Discovery will resonate in his ears, and his body will plunge deeper in his seat. His cheeks, ears, and lips will flap backward in the gripping pull of 4 G's, as Discovery thrusts into orbit at 17,000 miles per hour.

"I'm ready. ... I just want to take that test," Hernandez said about three weeks ago.

"The only thing that scares me is SAS. They say that a little over half the astronauts get space adaptation sickness," said Hernandez, a graduate of Franklin High School and a mechanical engineering graduate of University of the Pacific.

On Sunday, the mission management team at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration approved continuing the launch countdown.

Launch director Pete Nickolenko said Sunday he is 96 percent certain that the launch will take place tonight.

The only concern is the possibility of rough weather just before the external tank is fueled.

Hernandez's crew will have four chances to attempt launching between tonight and Saturday.

Shuttle weather officer Kathy Winters predicted there will be an 80 percent chance that the weather will be favorable in that time window.